Water walking float-equipped stilts

ABSTRACT

AN EXERCISING AMUSING AND FUN PROVOKING DEVICE FOR AQUATIC USE SHALLOW WATER, THREE TO FOUR DEEP, AT A BATHING BEACH SHORE OR IN A SWIMMING POOL. AN INNOVATION WHICH PERMITS THE USER TO SHUFFLE, WALK OR SCAMPER OVER THE WATER&#39;&#39;S SURFACE AND CHARACTERIZED BY A PAIR OF SUITABLY CONSTRUCTED STILTS AND A PAIR OF HORIZONTALLY ELONGATED FOOT PADS WHICH ARE BUOYANT. THESE   PADS RESEMBLE AND FUNCTION AS SKIS OR FLOATING PONTOONS AND HAVE STABILIZING GUIDE SLEEVES WHICH ARE SHIFTABLY ADJUSTABLE ON THE STILTS, ARE LINKED TOGETHER, AND BRACED AND EFFECTUALLY BALANCED FOR ADEQUATE PERFORMING AND CONTROLLBLE USE.

Nov. 23, 1971 L.. G. SENGHAS 3,621,500

WATER WALKING FLOAT-EQUIPPED STILTS Filed April E), 1970 Louis 6. Seng/m5 United StateS Paten `.111

U.S. Cl. 9-310 D 9 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An exercising, amusing, and fun provoking device for aquatic use in shallow Water, three to four feet deep, at a bathing beach shore or in a swimming pool. An innovation which permits the user to shuffle, walk or scamper over the waters surface and characterized by a pair of suitably constructed stilts and a pair of horizontally elongated foot pads which are buoyant. These pads resemble and function as skis or floating pontoons and have stabilizing guide sleeves which are shiftably adjustable on the stilts, are linked together, and braced and elfectually balanced for adequate performing and controllable use.

This invention relates to water walking contrivances and has tto do, more particularly, with a pair of structurally novel stilts and buoyant ski-shaped pads or footrests which are adjustably mounted for controlled maneuverability on median portions of the coacting stilts.

Briefly, the over-all ready-to-use device comprises a pair of slender vertically elongated poles. These poles constitute stilts and have upper and lower ends. Traction means is mounted, detachably if desired, on the lower end of each stilt and is such in design and adaptability that it is intended to supportively contact the surface which is to be traversed by the user of the stilts. The upper end portions of the stilts are adapted, as is customary, to be caught hold of, back-handed if desired, and controllably maneuvered by the arms and shoulders of the standing user. A pair of horizontally elongated pads are provided. These pads are of ybuoyant material and provide elevating and water-walking and gliding or skittering skis. These pads have median portions which are operatively mounted on coacting median portions of the respective stilts. Each pad has an upper surface provided with foot positioning and quick-freeing retaining means.

As will be hereinafter more fully evident the disclosed invention makes it feasible and conveniently practical to shuffle over shallow water, approximately one. to three or four feet deep, on a pair of like ski-shaped buoyant pads. These pads may be made of buoyant material or may be inflatable and deflatable. In addition, they will be made in several different sizes to satisfactorily support a child, teenager or an adult as the case may be.

yLongitudinal balance can be maintained by the shape, length and buoyancy of the ski pads and lateral balance achieved by the upstanding stilts. The lower end of each pole or stilt is designed and adapted to receive a detachable prod for beach or pond use or, alternatively, a flat rubber disc-like adapter for swimming pool use. Forward shuffling motion can be and is obtained by alternately shifting ones weight laterally and according to his individual manipulable skills. The poles or stilts are used in a somewhat conventional stilt-walking fashion and the stilts can be considered as vertically reciprocable relative to the ski-shaped pads or the pads can be construed as operably movable or shiftable up and down relative to the ski poles.

A further feature resides in interlinking the forward ends of the pads by a link which is pivoted at one end on one ski and has an eye at its opposite `end slidable on a staple carried by the other ski. By thus connecting the ski pads by a link or a tie-rod the ski pads can be maintained in an approximate spaced parallel relationship particularly for inept users.

lt will be noted as the disclosure proceeds that inasmuch as users of the device are likely to fall off the ski pads, no foot straps, pockets or boots are used. It follows that the pads are no more dangerous to use than similar water floats, cushions, seats and the like. Then, too, inasmuch as no foot lifting of the ski pad is required, the proper foot locale will be, as is generally the case, a recess or a molded foot imprint with a slight marginal ridge or formation around the front half for comfort and retentive convenience.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof herein lie numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. l is a view in perspective showing a water-walking float-equipped dual stilt device constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating approximately how it is intended to be used.

FIG. 2 is a view also in perspective showing the device with the underneath or bottom sides viewable and showing optional hingedly mounted flaps which may, if desired, be employed to facilitate controllable forward motion of the ski pads.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section taken approximately on the plane of the section line 3-3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The poles which serve as the aforementioned stilts are like in construction and each pole or stilt is denoted by the numeral 6. It is vertically elongated, may be tubular and is preferably relatively slender and circular in cross-section, the lower end portion 8 being provided with a surface adapter. The adapter may be in the form of a prod (not shown) for ground use. On the other hand it may be designed for use on the bottom of a swimming pool as suggested in FIGS. l and 2. In this case it comprises a rubber disc which is flat-bottomed and of appropriate diameter and is denoted at 10 and provided with a socket l2 into which the lower end portion of the pole or stilt is retentively fitted. The upper end portion 14 is provided with an appropriate permanently attached suitably shaped handgrip 16.

The buoyant pads, which are referred to as ski pads and also as pontoon-like floats, are also identical in construction and will vary in texture and size depending on the user. Both ski pads are alike and each is denoted by the numeral 13. The pad is of elongated rectangular form and has a substantially flat upper or top surface 20 and a spaced parallel flat bottom surface 22. The inward or inboard longitudinal edge is denoted at 24 and the outer lengthwise or out-board edge at 2:6. The rearward end is denoted at 28 and the forward or leading slightly rounded and tapered end at 30. The median part of the upper surface is provided with a recessed well 32 of suitable size and shape to removably receive the foot of the user (not shown).

Each pad to the outer side of the foot seat or recess is provided with a hole 34 which extends therethrough from top to bottom. This hole accommodates the lower end portion of a cylindrical rigid guide sleeve 36. The lower end portion 35 of the sleeve is flush with the bottom surface 22. The upper end portion projects a suitable distance above the level of the top surface 20. The median portion of the stilt is reciprocable, that is captive but slidable through the sleeve. One can consider the ski pad as slidable relative to the stilt or the stilt as sliding through the sleeve. The lower end of the sleeve serves to reinforce and bush the hole 34.

A substantially L-shaped rigidifying brace is provided as at 38 and comprises a horizontal leg 40` with an eye 42 attached to and surrounding the median portion of the sleeve. The vertical leg 44 is anchored as at 46 adjacent the edge 24 and opposite the sleeve.

Experience has shown that it may be and often is desirable to interconnect the two pontoon-like ski pads at the forward ends so that they will remain in spaced parallel relationship when being used. This is accomplished by a tie rod, more particularly, a suitable link 48 of requisite cross-sectional gauge and length. An eye 50 at one end of the link is attached to a screw eye 52 secured in the forward left-hand edge portion of the right ski pad in FIG. 1. This link spans the space between the opposed edges 24 and terminates in a similar eye 52 at the opposite end which is slidable on the bight portion 56 of an elongated fixedly attached staple. The staple is close to the forward end of the edge 24 as shown at the left in FIG. l.

It is within the purview of the invention to provide an optional feature comprising a pair of movable fiaps, one of which is denoted by the numeral 58, the same being rectangular and the attached edge of the blade portion having a hinge knuckle 60 which is hingedly mounted on a hinge pintle 62 (FIG. 3) which is mounted between ears at the ends of an embedded adapter plate 64. The normal feathering position is shown in FIG. 3. When the blade or plate is in a down position, as shown in full lines in FIG. 2 and phantom lines in FIG. 3, the limit stop 66 comes into play to maintain the flap in its vertical crosswise position. Experience has shown that on forward motion of the ski pad the ap or iiaps would lie substantially fiat up against the bottom of the pad. On any backward movement of the ski pad, the fiap would be permitted to swing down to a vertical or stop position thereby creating water resistance to further movement.

It is submitted that a careful consideration of the specification including the detailed description and recitation of the features and advantages of the invention will enable the reader to fully understand the construction and mode of use. Accordingly a more extended description is deemed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modiiications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in shallow water at the bathing beach or in a swimming pool, a maneuverable and controllable fun provoking water walking device comprising, in combination, a pair of slender vertically elongated poles, said poles consituting stilts and having upper and lower ends, traction means mounted on the lower end of each stilt and adapted to supportively contact the surface which is to be traversed by the user of said stilts, the upper end portions of said stilts being adapted, as is customary, to be caught hold of and controllably maneuvered by the arms and hands of the user, a pair of horizontally elongated pads, said pads being buoyant and providing elevating and water walking and gliding skis, said pads having median portions operatively mounted on coacting median portions of said stilts, each pad having an upper surface provided with foot placement and retaining means.

2. The device defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the median portion of each pad is provided with a vertical guide sleeve, said sleeve being slidingly reciprocable on the coacting median portion of the coordinating stilt.

3. The device defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the upper end portions of said stilts are provided with individual conveniently accessible handgrips, the traction means at the lower end of each stilt comprising an enlarged flexible and resilient foot.

4. The device defined in and according to claim 1, and said pads having forward end portions which are cooperatively connected by linking means which serves to interrelate the pads in captive spaced relation and prevents said pads from spreading too far apart while in use.

5. The device defined in and according to claim 2, and said sleeves having upper end portions projecting to a predetermined level above the upper surfaces of the respective skis, and stabilizing braces mounted on said skis and operatively connected to upper end portions of said sleeves.

6. An exercising, amusing and fun provoking device for aquatic use comprising, in combination, a pair of slender vertically elongated poles which are circular in cross-section and provide a pair of user maneuverable stilts, said stilts having upper ends, lower ends and intervening median portions, disc-like feet secured to the lower ends of said stilts and of a size and shape to tread for traction on the bottom of shallow water in a swimming pool or the bottom of water at a bathing beach, said upper ends having handling means and being adapted to be caught hold of and controllably maneuvered by the users arms and hands in a generally well known stilt-walking manner, a pair of horizontally elongated block-like weight supporting buoyant pads positioned in a plane at right angles to the vertical axes of said stilts, said pads constituting skilike user elevating and supporting foot rests, the median portion of the outward edge portion of each pad having an offset hole, a vertically elongated sleeve having a lower end anchored in and bushing said hole and an upper portion projecting above the plane of the upper lengthwise surface of the coacting pad and providing a stilt stabilizing guide, the median portions of said stilts passing slidingly through their respectively cooperable sleeves, Whereby said pads are adjustably mounted on said stilts.

7. The device defined in and according to claim 6, and wherein each pad is substantially rectangular in shape, has fiat top and bottom surfaces and resembles a floating pontoon, a median portion of the top surface having a footshaped well for reception and quick-removable retention of the users foot.

8. The device defined in and according to claim 6, and wherein a rigid straight link of requisite length is arranged to bridge the respective forward ends of said pads, one end of said link being hingedly anchored on a coacting forward inward edge portion of one pad, the other end of said link having means operatively anchored on a fixed elongated member carried by a coacting forward inward edge portion of the other pad.

9. The device defined in and according to claim 8, and wherein L-shaped braces are provided and have horizontal legs joined to the upper end portions of said guide sleeves and depending vertical legs securely anchored atop a median inward edge portion of the coordinating pad.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,938,726 5/1960 Hunter, Jr 272-1 B X 3,479,674 1l/l969 Beymer 9-310 D FOREIGN PATENTS 186,437 12/193'6 Switzerland 9--310y D MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner P. E. SAUBERER, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 272-1 IIB 

